Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

It didn’t take long for Florida State’s offense to come alive in the Tallahassee Regional against Georgia.

So, of course, it didn’t take long for the fourth-seeded Seminoles to put the Bulldogs away.

Superstar third baseman Jessie Warren drilled the first pitch she saw for a two-run homer and Florida State never looked back. The Seminoles dropped UGA 8-5 on Sunday in front of a home crowd at JoAnne Graf Field to claim the team’s fifth-straight regional crown.

It was also the team’s 13th regional win in a row.

The Bulldogs scored five runs on 10 hits, but FSU’s offense was firing on all cylinders, which kept UGA from ever taking a lead. When the Seminoles are putting runs on the board as after as they were Sunday afternoon, few teams in the country can stay with them.

FSU – which gets to host a Super Regional for the second year in a row – will face the winner of the Baton Rouge Regional.

“I’m a day-by-day kind of person so I don’t even know those things,” FSU coach Lonni Alameda said about making it to Supers for the fifth-straight year.

“I tell you this, Coach Graf had an amazing program here and they didn’t have Super Regionals at the time. Who knows, back in the day they had some squads that could play here. I’m just trying to make sure we continue the tradition of being excellent on and off the field.”

Warren’s homer set the tone for FSU’s offense, which got to Georgia starter Kylie Bass (L, 9-4) to put up at least two runs in the first, second and fourth innings of Sunday’s game. Warren, a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year finalist, finished the day 2 for 4.

For good measure, Warren ended the game by catching a line drive, throwing out a Georgia runner at first for a double play.

“I think just coming out and getting my swing off sets the tone for the team,” Warren said. “It gives us energy and kind of relaxes (pitcher) Meghan (King) out there on defense. I think it’s easier for pitchers to pitch when you’re ahead.”

As the game went on, FSU, playing the lead, stayed relaxed. King smiled through rough stretches and members of the outfield stayed loose, joking and dancing between outs. Sometimes the three outfielders mimed free throws or punts to each other.

“We are who we are all season long,” Alameda said.

“We are who we are off the field and on the field. We always talk about it in the fall and during practices. There’s going to be a moment where you can be fun and giddy and look the clouds and the birds, but when the pitch comes, you’re in the circle and you’re here for your team.”

UGA ace Brittany Gray came on in the fifth in relief of Bass, who gave up seven earned runs on seven hits in four complete innings of work.
Gray pitched two scoreless innings before walking in a run in the top of the seventh.

Freshman Dani Morgan – the MVP of the ACC tournament – also hit a two-run homer in the fourth. She finished the day 2 for 3 with three RBIs.

“It’s awesome knowing at any point in the game, anyone can get their swing off and get a hit for the team and get it going like Jessie did in the first inning” Morgan said. “You just have to trust in your teammates and I think we trust in each other a lot.”

Redshirt sophomore Meghan King (W, 27-2) didn’t have her best outing as a starter, but she did enough to secure the win for the Seminoles. Pitching against Georgia for the second day in a row, King gave up 10 hits and 5 runs (all earned) over 6.1 innings of work.

It was the second game in a row where King came out right at the end.

She also struck out six. Redshirt senior ace Jessica Burroughs came on with one out in the bottom of the seventh to seal it. She earned her ninth career save and fourth of the season. Both tie FSU program records.

“Coming off the first inning, scoring the first inning is definitely a relief,” King said.